


Scissorhands

by homicidalbrunette



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Mileven au, Movie AU, edward scissorhands AU, genderflipped AU, set in whatever time period the movie is set in, vaguely 60s/70s/80s
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-16 10:42:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18519805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/homicidalbrunette/pseuds/homicidalbrunette
Summary: Created by a mad scientist, Eleven never knew a real home until her local Avon lady, Karen Wheeler, took her in and introduced El to her family. Different and odd, El tries her best to fit in, make friends, and make sense of her growing feelings for the Wheeler's son, Mike. But do the people of Hawkins really accept her, or will she forever remain what she most fears - a freak and an outcast?------A genderflipped Edward Scissorhands AU. Written in a script format. COMPLETE!





	1. The Girl

**Author's Note:**

> IMPORTANT: this fic is written in a script format. Edward Scissorhands was written by Caroline Thompson.

LITTLE GIRL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

Outside, it’s snowing, but in here, where an old man tucks his little granddaughter to bed, its cozy and warm.

                                                 OLD MAN

                          Snuggle up, sweetie. It’s cold out there.

                                                 GRANDDAUGHTER

                          Why does it snow, Grandpa? Where does it come from?

                                                 OLD MAN

                          Oh, that’s a long story, sweetheart. Go to sleep.

                                                 GRANDDAUGHTER

                          I’m not sleepy. Tell me…please…

The Old Man sighs and settles into an armchair next to the bed.

                                                 OLD MAN

                          Well…alright. Let’s see…it would have to start with scissors.

                                                 GRANDDAUGHTER

                          Scissors?

                                                  OLD MAN

                         There are all kinds of scissors. And, once, there was even

                         a girl who had scissors for hands.

                                                GRANDDAUGHTER

                         A girl?

                                                OLD MAN

                        Yes.

                                                GRANDDAUGHTER

                        Hands scissors?

                                                OLD MAN

                        No, scissorhands. You know the mansion on top

                        of the mountain?

                                                GRANDDAUGHTER

                        It's haunted.

                                                OLD MAN

                        Well, a long time ago, an inventor lived in

                        that mansion. He made many things, I suppose.

                        But he created a girl. He gave her a

                        heart, a brain, everything. Well, almost

                        everything. You see, the inventor was very old.

                        He died before he got to finish the girl he

                        invented. So the girl was left by herself,

                        incomplete and all alone.

                                                GRANDDAUGHTER

                        She didn't have a name?

                                                OLD MAN

                        Of course she had a name. Her name was El.

AN OLD GOTHIC MANSION ON TOP OF A DESOLATE MOUNTAIN. JUST BEFORE DAWN.

From this high vantage point, the lights of the town far below twinkle like jewels. A DARK SILHOUTETE keeps watch over the town from the mansion’s ramshackle upper windows. The old moth-eaten curtains blow and swirl around her.

The figure gazes on steadily towards the town. She doesn’t move or fidget. Her attention never strays. She looks on lovingly. This is EL.

THE TOWN. MORNING.

What looked so romantic and lovely from El’s vantage point reveals itself in all its actual banality. The streets are lined in a dull, undeviating grid. Rows of sagging trees planted at exact intervals. The houses are all unimaginative variations on the same design. And so are the people.

HENDERSON FRONT DOOR.

CLAUDIA HENDERON’S doorbell rings. On the stoop stands KAREN WHEELER, the local Avon lady. Friendly and practical, in her early forties, she wears a neatly tailored outfit. Her hair and smile are both perfectly in place. She holds up her pink sample cases.

                                                KAREN

                        Avon calling.

                                                CLAUDIA

                        Weren't you just here?

                                                KAREN

                        No, not since last season. Today I've come to

                        show you our exquisite new line of soft colors

                        in shadows, blushes and lipstick. Everything

                        you need to accent and highlight your changing

                        looks.

                                                CLAUDIA

                                    (CLAUDIA chuckles)

                        My changing looks? That's good.

                                                KAREN

                                    (tries another tactic)

                        Well, it goes without saying that I also have a

                        complete selection of your old favorites, those

                        tried-and-true products we've all come to

                        depend on year-in and year-out.

                                                CLAUDIA

                                    (laughs again)

                        Come on, Karen. You know I never buy anything from you.

                                                KAREN

                                    (finally resigned, sighing)

                        I know. Bye, Claudia.

A GIRL’S PINK BEDROOM. LATER.

The contents of Karen’s case are spread open across the pink bedspread in the bedroom of a TEEN GIRL who slathers on everything she can get her hands on.

                                                KAREN

                        Okay. Now, we should decide on lipsticks. Okay,

                        dear, what one did you like best? There was the

                        Winsome Wahini which looked charming on you. Or

                        the Bahamian Bliss.

                                                A GIRL

                        I like them both.

                                                KAREN

                                    (taking out her order form)

                        Well, great.

                                                A GIRL

                        You don't actually think I have any money, do

                        you?

SIDEWALK. KAREN’S CAR. LATER.

Karen sits in her parked car, frustrated and a little disheveled. She holds a list of addresses in front of her – they all have x’s beside them. She’s tried every one. Wondering what to do next, she looks vacantly at her car rearview mirror. Reflected on it – the gloomy MANSION rising steeply above the town. Then she decides – of course, she dares. She checks herself in the mirror, poofs up her hair, and starts the car. 

MANSION ON THE MOUNTAIN. LATER.

Clinging to her case as if it’s a trusted friend, Karen hesitates at the mansions dilapidated iron gate. It has all but fallen off its hinges. She tries the gate. It’s too heavy to push very far, but she’s strong and makes enough of an opening to slip through.

Inside, the garden takes her breath away. It is perfectly maintained, beautifully trimmed, with roses and exotic flowers in the shapes of bears and rabbits and birds.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, my goodness.

AT THE FRONT DOOR.

Karen bangs on the brass knocker. She waits patiently but nobody answers. Impulsively, she ties the handle. It’s unlocked! Adrenalin pumping, she steps into the

MARBLE ENTRANCE HALL.

Her footsteps sound like gunshots on the floor. There are gadgets composed of cogs and wheels and pulleys sitting around – covered in dust and cobwebs. 

                                                KAREN

                        Hello??

No answer. Undeterred, Karen continues up the sweeping staircase.

                                                KAREN

                        Hello? Avon calling!

At the top of the stairs is a wide-open room. Part of the ceiling has caved in, and tucked in a corner of the room, there is a make shift, straw-stuffed bed.

There are books and magazines on the floor – nature books, a book on etiquette: “White Gloves and Party Manners”, a hundred-year-old Sears catalogue, copies of “Home Beautiful.”

Suddenly, Karen hears a noise from the far corner of the room. She looks over to see – a figure covered in shadowy darkness, pressed against the far wall.

                                                KAREN

                       Oh my, hello. I’m Karen Wheeler. I'm your local Avon

                       representative. I'm sorry to barge in like this. But you

                        don't have any reason to be afraid. This is

                        a big house, isn't it? Thank goodness for

                        those aerobics classes.

The figure neither responds nor moves. Karen presses forward.

                                                KAREN

                        Why are you hiding back there?

                        You don't have to hide from me. 

                        I'm as harmless as cherry pie.

Seemingly encouraged, the figure steps forward, towards the light.

Karen’s breath catches. The figure seems jumpy, their movements erratic, unpredictable, and therefore dangerous.

Light glances off their hands, off metal – long, sharp, and lethal. Perhaps a knife.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh my… I can see that I've disturbed you. How

                        stupid of me! I'll just be going now.

They do indeed seem to be holding something – shears nearly a full foot long.

                                                THE FIGURE

                        Don't go.

They come fully into the light now revealing the owner of those deadly shears – a young girl. No more than sixteen. A tiny little thing, with wild, unkempt hair, abnormally pale skin from lack of sun exposure and a pretty face – dotted with scars. Her eyes are so big and wide they seem like two unfathomable pools.

Stopped in her tracks, Karen stares at her.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh my! What happened to you?

                                                EL

                        I'm not finished.

                                                KAREN

                        Those… are your hands?

                        What happened to you? Where are your

                        parents? ... Your mother? Your father?

                                                EL

                        He didn't wake up.

                                                KAREN

                        Are you alone? Do you live up here all by

                        yourself? What happened to your face?

El absently scratches herself and slices a fresh gash on her face. Karen winces.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh. I won't hurt you. But at the very least

                        let me give you a good astringent and this will

                        help to prevent infection. What's your name?

                                                EL

                        Eleven.

                                                KAREN

                        Eleven? Well… I think you should just come home with

                        me, Eleven.

KAREN’S CAR. LATER.

El is in the passenger seat. She looks out in stunned awe at the passing scene. To her, it’s beautiful. The houses glow in the sunshine. The lawns are so green, they vibrate. Kids run and laugh in the sunshine. The roofs sparkle as though dusted with glitter.

A dog barks and catches a ball in someone’s front yard. Excited, El reaches over Karen to point at the scene with her shears – alarming Karen.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh!

                                                EL

                        I'm-I'm sorry.

                                                KAREN

                        No, don't be. You go ahead and look. You have

                        every reason to be excited.

El places her hands carefully back in her lap, trying to contain her excitement.

THE WHEELER HOUSE. MINUTES LATER.

Karen finally pulls into her driveway. Karen and El step into the house. It’s just a variation on the others’ in the neighborhood – fifties ranch style, bland but efficiently landscaped.

Karen ushers a spellbound El through the living room. The rooms are small and square and dust-free. The functional furniture is upholstered and neat. Knick-knacks abound.               

                                                KAREN

                        Here we go, dear. This is our house. And you

                        can just go right in and make yourself right at

                        home. OK? So, this is the living room.

El roams the room, looking at everything in wonderment. Her attention is caught and held by the pictures on the mantle. She stops in front of them, eyeing each one.

                                                KAREN

                         You want to see the pictures? All right.

THE FAMILY PHOTOS.

Family portraits, snapshots from vacation. A man fishing. A little girl’s baby picture. A teen girl’s yearbook portrait.

                                                KAREN

                        Well, this is my husband, Ted. He's a bowling champion. Do you

                        know what bowling is? Bowling?

                                    (beat)

                        Well, anyway here he is with Holly, our youngest, at the zoo.  

                        I think Holly looks a little glum because the pandas didn’t come

                        out that day. And that’s our eldest, Nancy.

It’s the teen girl in the yearbook photo. El brushes a finger against the frame.

                                                EL

                        Pretty.

                                                KAREN

                        Yes, she is, isn’t she? We’re all quite proud of her.

                       Oh, and this is the only boy. Our son, Michael.

For the first time, El notices the boy in the picture next to Nancy’s photo.

                                                KAREN

                        All dressed up for the Snowball. That was when he

                       was still in the eighth grade. He’s a junior in high school

                       now, can you believe it? He's camping with some

                       friends, but he'll be back in a few days and you can meet

                       him then. That's my family.

As Karen continues to talk, El’s eyes linger on Mike’s photo.

                                                KAREN

                       Now, go on, dear. I'll show you the rest of the house.

Karen pulls El away from the mantle.

                                                KAREN

                        You can just freshen up and make yourself at

                        home. Okay? That's the kitchen over there. You

                        help yourself to anything you want to eat or

                        drink. Back here are the bedrooms.

Karen ushers El into Mike’s vacant bedroom.

                                                KAREN

                         Let me get you some towels, then I will see what

                         we can find to wear.

Karen disappears into an adjacent bedroom, leaving El alone for the moment. El has never seen such a room before – a cozy looking bed, dresser drawers, and a wide desk covered with books, toys and gadgets.

El goes up to the bed and pokes at it curiously. The mattress starts to wobble and wave. Mystified, she reaches out to steady the wobbly mattress and tears a small hole in it. To her horror, water starts to spurt out. Panicked, El grabs the nearest thing – a stuffed dinosaur – and places it over the water spout. It seems to have plugged the leak. Karen suddenly reappears.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh that’s just the water bed, dear. Michael hates it,

                        but Ted insisted for everyone. “The bed of the future”

                        he said. It’s supposed to be better for your spine, I think.

Karen pushes a bundle of fresh clothes to El. It’s a baby pink dress, with a peter pan collar, long sleeves, and a ruffled, ribbed top. Completely girly and very pink. And it's the exact opposite of El’s current outfit, which is vaguely gothic steampunk in design and all black.

                                                KAREN

                       This is Nancy’s. She never wears it anymore.

                        It’s perfect. Here. It should just fit you.

                                    (The phone rings.)

                        Oh, no, no. Don't be alarmed. That's just a

                        phone. Now you go on and put

                        these on. I'll be right with you.

Karen leaves once again and shuts the door behind her. El delicately picks up the bright pink dress. She stares at it in consternation for a long time, before finally trying to slip an arm through. It snags almost immediately and tears a little gash through.

MEANWHILE, KAREN’S BEDROOM.

                                                KAREN

                                    (on phone)

                        No, no, scissors. That's right. Well, she was

                        born up there or something. Have you seen her

                        before? No, I don't think she's been off the

                        grounds before today. Well, look I can’t talk too

                        long just now. I'll talk to you later Claudia, Bye-bye.

Karen goes to check in on El.

                                                KAREN

                        Eleven? Dear? How does it fit?

Only to find El standing just as she had left her – this time with the dress over her head. It’s just bunched up around her neck and shoulders. She couldn’t get her arms through at all.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, Eleven! I'm sorry…I didn't... oh, dear.

                        May I help you with this?

El nods, relieved for the help.

                                                EL

                        Thank you.

FAMILY ROOM. LATER.

Karen sits in front of El with the thick Avon handbook open on her lap, her sample case beside her. El is now wearing Nancy’s pink dress, over her all black get-up. Karen is applying make-up to El’s scarred face. She explains as she works.

                                                KAREN

                        The light concealing cream goes on first, then

                        you blend and blend and blend. Blending is the

                        secret. More concealing for you… Your

                        complexion is so fair – How about we try this?

Karen takes up a new pot of concealing cream.

                                                KAREN

                        Now this has a touch of lavender in it. Let’s give it a

                        try here.

She pastes it on El’s face. It leaves a purplish tinge on her.

                                                KAREN

                       Close enough. Okay.

Karen leans back to study the effect.

                                                KAREN

                        I have another idea. We'll cover up the scars and

                        start with a completely smooth surface.

She rubs the base she’s chosen all over El’s face. Then, squinting her eyes, scrutinizes El’s face. El’s face is completely covered in purply goop, but the young girl smiles good naturedly.

                                                KAREN

                                    (continuing to apply the goop)

                        Darn this stuff!

MIKE’S ROOM. BEDTIME.

Karen tucks El into the wobbly water bed. El holds her hands out high above the covers, painfully aware of the damage they could do. The bed looks like its about to swallow her whole.

                                                KAREN

                                    (to El )

                        Things feel strange now, but soon you'll feel right at home.

                        Good night.

El waves happily to Karen as she leaves but this causes the water bed to wobble and wiggle violently. El’s smile vanishes and she tightens her grip on the sheets, freaked out and looking a little sea sick to boot.

WHEELER HOUSE. LATER.

A van pulls up front and stops. Inside, crammed in with DUSTIN, Claudia’s son, are four other kids: Max Mayfield, Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers, and a tired and bedraggled Mike Wheeler.

                                                DUSTIN

                        Okay, guys, we're home.

                                                MIKE

                        I can't wait to take a shower.

                                                WILL

                        And wash off the dirt.

                                                MAX

                        If my stepdad set the alarm again, I'm screwed. I'll

                        sleep in the yard... again.

                                                LUCAS

                        I told you to call to say we're coming back

                        early.

                                                MIKE

                        She'd rather complain.

                                                MAX

                        You didn't call _your_ parents.

                                                LUCAS

                        They don't run their house like a police

                        station. Now come on, lets get going. I’d like

                        to get to my house before dawn. Night Mike.

                                                WILL

                        Bye, Mike.

                                                MIKE

                        Later guys. Thanks for driving, Dustin.

Dustin gives him a finger salute. The van drives off with the rest of Mike’s friends in it.

AT THE FRONT STOOP.

Mike fumbles with the key. He lets himself inside and tip-toes through the living room, up the hall, and

INTO HIS OWN ROOM.

He dumps his junk onto the floor – the sudden noise disturbs El. Her eyes pop open. Mike is still completely oblivious as to her presence. He turns on a small desk lamp and goes to the mirror, looking at his own reflection, checking his hair and examining his face.

El doesn’t know what to do. She tucks herself into the bed even further, as if willing herself smaller.

Mike is still at the mirror, his eyes drift casually from his face to the background – and he SCREAMS when he notices El’s reflection in the mirror – some scarred-face pale girl with giant shears by her side lying in wait on his bed.

                                                MIKE

                        OH MY GOD! DAD!!! MOM!!

Mike’s yelling startles El badly. She tries to leap out of bed but one of her fingers pierces the water bed instead – a big leak this time that spurts straight up to the ceiling. Mike continues to scream as El, getting more and more panicked, flails around and punctures several more violent leaks, sending sprays of water everywhere.

Mike bolts out into the hallway, still yelling. Within seconds Karen and Ted are out there too. Karen immediately goes to comfort Mike, while Ted stands around, confused and sleepy.

                                                KAREN

                        Mike? What’s wrong, what is it?

                                                MIKE

                        There’s somebody in my room! There’s like a

                        creepy looking ghost girl with an axe and –

Awakened by the commotion, Holly and Nancy come stumbling out of their rooms, dazed but curious.

                                                MIKE

                        Go look in my room, just go look –

                        OH MY GOD! THERE SHE IS OH MY GOD –

El finally joins everyone else out in the hall. Ted ushers her away from Mike who’s still freaking out and walks her quickly downstairs to the basement.

                                                KAREN

                        It's all right. It's all right.

                                    (to Holly and Nancy)

                        It’s okay, girls. Go back to bed. It's only Eleven.

                        Oh shhhh…hush. Honey, that was just Eleven.

Karen ushers Mike back into his room and we can hear Mike still faintly yelling and Karen’s voice calmly explaining.

                                                MIKE

                        WHO’S ELEVEN?? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??

                                                KAREN

                        It’s Eleven. Shh, shh. She’s come to live with us...

                        There's nothing to be upset about….

WHEELER BASEMENT.

Ted pulls out a pull-out bed from the couch.

                                                TED

                        We'll have you a setup here in a minute.

                        A queen-size bed here. How do

                        you like that? It's all made up and everything.

                        There you go. What's the matter? What's wrong?

                        He gets you nervous? You've been closed up in

                        that castle too long.  You don't know

                        anything about the wonderful world of teenage

                        boys. They're crazy.

                                                EL

                        Teenage…boys?

                                                TED

                                    (continuing on, oblivious)

                        I don't know what it is. They reach a

                        certain age. They develop these gland things.

                        Their bodies swell up. They go crazy.

                                                EL

                        Glands?

                                                TED

                        Yeah, glands. Try not to think about it.

MEANWHILE, MIKE’S ROOM.

Karen tries to calm down Mike.

                                                MIKE

                        Mom, why did you have to bring her here?

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, honey, I couldn't have left her there all

                        alone. You would have done the same thing.

                                                MIKE

                        But why does she have to stay _here_?

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, my goodness, Mike. I'm surprised at you. She

                        can't help the way she is. Have a little

                        sympathy.

                                                MIKE

                        I do have a little sympathy.

                                                KAREN

                        Then you should go say hello in the morning

                         and properly introduce yourself. You can shake her hand.

                                                MIKE

                        Shake her hand?

                                                KAREN

                        Well, not literally. Goodness, you scared her

                        half to death.

                                                MIKE

                        I scared _her_ to death?

WHEELER BASEMENT. MORNING.

El has just woken up. She gets up, a little bleary eyed but well-rested, and tries to push the bed back into a sofa, just like she saw Ted do last night. She can’t quite get it though. She pushes and pulls at the thing but ends up making a gash on it instead, the white stuffing poking out.

                                                MIKE

                        Um, morning.

Startled, El whips around. Mike is standing at the bottom of the stairs. El isn’t sure what to expect. He didn’t seem to have such a good reaction to her last night.

                                                MIKE

                        Listen, uh, I’m sorry about last night. For

                        thinking you were an axe murderer.

                                    (beat)  

                        Have you eaten yet? I brought you some eggos.

He puts down a plate on the coffee table like a peace offering.  

                                                MIKE

                        Anyway, my mom said I should come down and

                        properly introduce myself to you so umm..

                        I’m Mike.

                                                EL

                        Mike?

                                                MIKE

                        Yeah. It’s a nickname. Short for Michael.

                                                EL

                        Nickname?

                                                MIKE

                        Yeah…like if we called you El. Short for Eleven.

El tests the name out on her tongue.

                                                EL

                        El. Pretty.

Mike’s face flushes.

                                                MIKE

                        Um, yeah. Pretty.

                                    (beat)

                        It’s nice to meet you, El.

                                                EL

                        Nice to meet you, Mike.

WHEELER FRONT LAWN. LATER THAT DAY.

Ted is trimming a shaggy hedge with a pair of hedge clippers. Between cuts, he strains to hear the ballgame on the radio, clearly distracted. Mike is sulking while mowing the lawn and El hovers near Ted. She makes a tentative snip on a hedge. And then a second one. She anxiously looks at Ted, but Ted is only paying attention to the game.  

                                                RADIO

                        Hartely into the windup and the strike one

                        pitch. Swung on and missed strike two. If it's

                        a hit, the club has 12 hits. But they still

                        have 11 on the scoreboard and it's 3-1. 0 and 2

                        the count to Warren. Now they change it to 12

                        hits.

El takes another snip of the hedge, not interested in the ball game at all. Gradually, she builds up speed. Her cuts get made with more and more assurance as the work absorbs her. She forgets her timidity and before long, she is a confident whirlwind of blades, focused, relentless, almost feverish. The trimmings fly all around her.   

                                                RADIO

                        Hartely's strike two pitch is hammered.

                        It's going way back. It's gone. It's out of

                        here. It is history.

On the radio, the crowd cheers. Ted looks stricken.  

                                                RADIO

                        A grand slam for Martinez to make it a five-run

                        inning and blow this game to pieces.

Mike looks up from his work and his attention is immediately snagged by the hedge El is shaping – it’s a dinosaur, like the one El used to plug up the leak on Mike’s water bed from yesterday.

                                                MIKE

                        Oh my Gosh…is that…Rory?

                                                TED

                        Well, I’ll be damned…

WHEELER KITCHEN. THAT EVENING.

El is helping Karen with dinner. She proves as handy as any kitchen tool advertised on late night TV. She slices, she dices. She is very wrapped up in chopping the lettuce for the salad. Karen has to take the bowl away.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh my goodness! You chopped up the whole

                        thing! Now that’s plenty, El.

El anxiously scratches herself, causing another cut to form on her face.

                                                KAREN

                        Now, there’s no need to be nervous. It’s just

                        going to be dinner with the whole family.

                        Just be yourself.

                                                EL

                        My….?

But her question is drowned out by the mechanical hum of the electric can opener – Karen is opening a can of peaches.

El gapes at it, at the gears, the moving parts, the churning, toothed wheels. Immediately mesmerized, she seems to be falling toward it into it –

EL’S POV, PULLING BACK FROM THE CAN OPENER –

We’re back in the mansion, the gears of Karen’s electric can opener have become the bigger gears of another, much larger can opener. It stands on a conveyer belt, and is one link in an elaborate system of inventions.

We see THE INVENTOR, an older man with striking white hair, wrinkled and getting frail. He is working on his latest invention, a GIRL, half-built and very much alive. It is El. The man holds up a large book and READS to her, as if reading a bedtime story to a child.

                                                INVENTOR

                        Let us pretend we're in the drawing room, and

                        the hostess is serving tea. Now, many numerous

                        little questions confront us. Should the man

                        rise when he accepts his cup of tea? May

                        lump sugar be taken with the tea?

                                                EL

                        Hmm, no.

                                                INVENTOR

                        Is it good form to accept a second cup? Now,

                        should the napkin be entirely unfolded, or

                        should the center crease be allowed to remain?

                        It is so easy to commit embarrassing

                        blunders. But etiquette will guard us from all humiliation and

                        discomfort.

He glances over at El, who looks confused and bored.

                                                INVENTOR

                        Mmm yes, boring. Let us switch to,

                        Um... To some poetry, Hmm? "There was an old

                        man from the cape. "Who made himself garments of crepe when asked, Will they tear? He replied Here and There,

                        but they keep such a beautiful shape."

                        That's right. Go ahead, smile. It's funny!

A smile starts to creep over El’s face for the first time. We pull back, and El is once more at the Wheeler’s house, the same appreciative smile on her face as Karen serves her a piece of pot roast.

The whole Wheeler family is present. There is a weird tension in the room. Karen and Ted behave as if nothing unusual is happening at their dinner table. Nancy and Mike poke their food around awkwardly. Only Holly gawks. Karen glares at her.

                                                KAREN

                        Holly, it's not polite to stare. Think how it

                        would make you feel if somebody were staring at

                        you.

                                                HOLLY

                        I wouldn't care.

                                                KAREN

                        Well, I would, so don't do it.

                                                TED

                        This must be quite a change for you, Eleven.

                                                EL

                        El. Please…call me El.

Mike glances up at that, his face flushing again.

                                                TED

                        Sure. So what did you get up to when you were living in

                        that big old place? I bet the view must be spectacular, Ellie.

                                                KAREN

                        I think she prefers El.

                                                TED

                        See all the way to the ocean?

                                                EL

                        Sometimes.

                                                KAREN

                        Mike, could I have the salt and pepper? Thank

                        you.

                                                HOLLY

                        Man, those things are cool. You know I bet

                        they're razor sharp. One karate chop to a guy's

                        neck...

                                                KAREN

                        Holly. Stop it. El, would like some butter for your bread?

                                                EL

                        Yes. Thank you.

                                                HOLLY

                        Can I bring her to show and tell on Monday?

                                                KAREN

                        Holly, I've had enough.

                                                NANCY

                        Actually, Holly has a point. Sort of.

                        Shouldn’t El like…go to school?

                                                KAREN

                        Why… Of course. Of course El

                        should go to school. Ted, why don’t

                        you stop by the principal’s office after

                        you drop Mike off tomorrow and see

                        about getting El enrolled?

HAWKINS HIGH QUAD. LUNCH.

Lunch period has just started. The Party are already together, heading towards their usual lunch spot. Mike is looking around the quad nervously, anxious to find El.

                                                MIKE

                        My mom told me to keep on eye out for her.

                        She was like, super sheltered or something. She’s

                        never even been to school before. I just hope she’s not

                        lost, or in trouble.

                                                DUSTIN  

                        Mike, will you relax? It’s been like five minutes. What

                        kind of trouble could she possibly get into?

Just then the Party spot El, across the Quad. She is talking with James and Troy. It doesn’t seem to be an unpleasant exchange. El is smiling, even. Mike stops dead in his tracks when he sees them.

                                                MIKE

                        Oh great. That kind of trouble, Dustin.

                                                WILL

                        I don’t know, she seems to be okay. They’re

                        just talking.

                                                LUCAS

                        Holy shit you were not kidding about the scissors.

                                                MAX

                        Are those her REAL hands? Oh my God -

                                                DUSTIN  

                        She’s kinda hot! In a creepy goth chick kind of

                        way. It’s a whole aesthetic!

                                                MIKE

                        Will you assholes stop it?

Mike has stopped walking towards El. He just stands there, glaring.

                                                MAX

                        So uh, are you going to go over there or are you just gonna

                        continue to stand here and stare like an idiot?

                                                MIKE

                        Why should I? I thought she’d need some help

                        making friends but looks like she’s got it covered.   

Mike starts to turn to walk away.     

                                                EL

                        Mike!

El waves to him across the Quad. Beside her, Troy smirks obnoxiously.

                                                TROY

                        She’s calling you, Mikey!

El starts to walk over but Mike turns red with embarrassment. Suddenly, Troy grabs El from behind and lifts her up into the air. 

                                                TROY

                        Don’t worry, Wheeler! She’s waiting for you!  

He sets El back down and walks away, laughing and high-fiving James. El seems a little confused, but unphased. She catches up to Mike and the rest of the Party.

                                                EL

                        Mike. I was calling you.

She looks at the rest of the Party, unsure, but remembers her manners.

                                                EL

                        Hello. My name is El.

Everyone in the Party are pretty much in awe to see El – and her shears – up close. They can hardly believe it.

                                                DUSTIN

                        Hi, El! So good to finally meet you. We’ve heard

                        so much about you – OW!

Lucas elbows him in the ribs.

                                                DUSTIN

                        Not because we were talking about you –

                        oh no – but because – (changing the subject)

                        Well, I’m Dustin! And this is Lucas, Max, and Will!

                                                MAX

                        Are those really your – OW!

Now it’s Max’s turn to get elbowed in the ribs by Mike.

                                                MAX

                        I mean, nice to meet you.

                                                MIKE

                        So um, El, we were going to go have lunch

                        over at the bleachers. But you don’t have to

                        come if you don’t want to.

Mike thinks he is trying to save face for both him and El. Giving her an out. El nods.

                                                EL

                        Okay.

But she follows Mike and the rest of the Party towards the bleachers.

                                                MIKE

                        Um, are you sure?

                                                EL

                        Sure what?

                                                MIKE

                        That you don’t want to sit with Troy and James

                        instead?

El shakes her head, confused.

                                                EL

                        I don’t want to sit with Troy and James.

                        I want to sit with you.

                                                MIKE

                                    (pleasantly surprised)

                        Oh….okay.

Max makes a gagging noise, eliciting chuckles from both Dustin and Lucas. Will just rolls his eyes.

                                                WILL  

                        So El, what’s your favorite class so far?

                                                EL

                        Oh…woodworking.

The teens walk off towards the bleachers, chatting happily.


	2. The Party

WHEELER’S DINING ROOM. THAT EVENING.

Karen and Ted sit at their usual places, flanked by Mike, Max, and Lucas on one side, El, Holly, and Nancy on the other. El, who has helped prepare dinner, carves the roast with her blades.                

                                                KAREN

                        Ted, you know what Jackie told me today?

                        She's just had her kitchen completely redone.

                                                TED

                        I'll be darned.

                                                KAREN

                        New paint, new cabinets, new floors, new

                        microwave, new Sonnet dishwasher.

                                                TED

                        That’s wonderful.

                                                KAREN

                        Isn't that something? Max, didn't you tell me

                        your mom had her kitchen done too?

                                                MAX

                        Yeah. And my stepdad bought himself a bunch of new

                        toys. Big screen TV, CD players, VCR with four

                        heads.

                                                KAREN

                        My goodness! I wonder what it's like to be

                        that rich.

                                                MAX

                        No, they keep things pretty much locked up. Neil

                        has his own room for his stuff to make

                        sure Billy and I can't get it and use it at all. He's so cheap he

                        won't even help me buy an old car.

                                                TED

                        Well, he probably wants you to pay for it

                        yourself. I agree with him. It builds

                        character. You'll appreciate it more. And speaking

                        of money, I understand you’re not charging for

                        your gardening, El?

                                                KAREN

                        Now, Ted. Joyce made her cookies today.

                                                TED

                        Sweetheart, you can't buy the necessities of

                        life with cookies. You can't buy a car with

                        cookies. Am I right, Max?

                                                MAX

                        That's true, sir. You can't.

El spears a slice of meat and holds it out towards Lucas’s plate. 

                                                LUCAS

                        I can't eat that. She used her hands. I don't

                        think it's sanitary.

El offers the piece of meat to Mike, who nods good-naturedly, but the meat slides right off her fingers, straight into Mike’s lap. Yelping, Mike stands. The meat drops heavily to the floor.

                                                EL

                        I'm sorry.

                                                KAREN

                        Honey, you want me to help you clean that up?

                                                MIKE

                        No, that's okay. I'll be right back.

Mike sighs, pushing away from his chair and leaving the room. El looks helplessly after him, embarrassed.  

THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AFTERNOON.

Lucas, Max, Mike and El are walking home from school, towards Mike’s house.

                                                LUCAS

                        Come on, you guys _gotta_ go to Jennifer

                        Hayes’s party with me. I’ll hardly know anyone

                        there.

                                                MAX

                        You know the guys on the team.

                                                LUCAS

                        They’re mostly all idiots.

                                                MAX

                        Will there be free booze?

                                                LUCAS

                        Duh, of course.

                                                MAX

                                    (shrugging)

                        I’m in.

                                    (wiggling her eyebrows)

                        Mike? El?

                                                MIKE

                        Why would El want to go to a lame

                        party thrown by Jennifer Hayes of all people?

                                                EL

                        Party?

                                                LUCAS

                        Yeah El – it’s like this super cool um…

                                                MAX

                         -- gathering!

                                                LUCAS

                        Yeah – _gathering_ …where you get together

                        with a bunch of friends and –

                                                MAX

                        -- and have _lots_ of fun!

                                                EL

                        Ooh… fun.

                                                MAX

                        Yeah! It totally is. Fun.

                                                LUCAS

                        And you should come! Because of fun.

                                                MIKE

                        Will you guys just lay off her –

                                                EL

                        I’ll go.

                                    MIKE, LUCAS AND MAX

                        Really?

Lucas and Max are surprised but stoked. Mike frowns.

                                                LUCAS

                        Alright, El!

                                                MAX

                        So now El’s in. Wheeler?

                                                MIKE

                        I mean –

                                                EL

                                    (like Lucas and Max)              

                        It’ll be fun.

Mike looks over at El for a long time before answering.  

                                                MIKE

                        I mean…yeah. I guess. To keep an eye on El.

                        For my mom’s sake.

Lucas and Max share a look.

                                                LUCAS

                        Yeah. For your mom’s sake.

Mike scowls at Lucas, then starts fishing for his house keys. They’ve finally arrived at the Wheeler house.   

                                                MIKE

                        No, I can't believe this.

Mike pats his pockets.

                                                MIKE

                        I think I left my keys in the house.

                                    (to El)

                        Do you have a key?

                                                EL

                        No.

                                                MIKE

                                    (continuing to pat his pockets)

                        I could have sworn I put it in here somewhere.

                                                LUCAS

                        Well, we're stranded.

El studies the front door lock, then fiddles with it. Mike watches as the lock clicks under El’s blades and the door swings open.

                                                MIKE

                        Wow! Thanks, El.

                                                MAX

                        Amazing! Hey, you didn't break

                        it or scratch it or anything. Nice.

Max gives El a pat on the back. The teens pour into the house.

TELEVISION STUDIO. A FEW DAYS LATER.

El sits on a raised stage with an affable daytime HOST of a local talk show. She is wearing a nice new dress that is a little too big for her. Around her are a plant she’s trimmed, a dog she’s groomed, and Karen – an example of her hair styling skills.

                                                TV HOST

                        Quite a story, yes? Any questions for El?

                        Yeah, over there. Stand right up.

                                                WOMAN 1

                        What's been the best part of your new life here

                        in town?

                                                EL

                                    (with a glance at Karen)

                        The friends I've made.

The audience warmly oohs and aahs.

                                                TV HOST

                        Any other questions?

                                                MAN 1

                        Have you ever thought of having corrective

                        surgery or prosthetics? I know a doctor that

                        might be able to help you.

                                                EL

                        I'd like to meet him.

                                                TV HOST

                        We'll get that name after the show. Thank you

                        very much. That's very nice. Anyone else? Yes,

                        stand right up.

                                                WOMAN 2

                        But if you had regular hands you'd be like

                        everyone else.

                                                EL

                        Yes, I know.

                                                TV HOST

                        I think she'd like that.

                                                WOMAN 2

                        But then no one would think you're special. You

                        wouldn't be on TV or anything.

                                                KAREN

                        No matter what, El will always special.

Karen tenderly pats her on the back. The audience oohs and aahs again. El has won their hearts.

                                                TV HOST

                        More questions? Stand right up.

                                                YOUNG WOMAN 1

                        Your work is so interesting, distinctive and

                        unique. Do you have plans to open your own

                        beauty salon?

                                                EL

                        That’s a good idea.

The audience cheers. Karen nods in hearty agreement. It makes El feel shy, but she maintains her poise.

                                                TV HOST

                        Anyone else? Yeah.

                                                YOUNG MAN 1

                        Do you have a boyfriend?

Embarrassed, El looks away, straight into the camera.

THE WHEELER’S FAMILY ROOM. SAME TIME.

Mike is sitting on the couch with Nancy, Holly, and Nancy’s boyfriend, Steve Harrington.

                                                STEVE

                        Sure, she does. Right, Mike?

                                                HOLLY

                                    (copying Steve)

                        Right, Mike? Huh?

Holly giggles and pokes at Mike.

                                                MIKE

                        Nance!

Nancy rolls her eyes, but decides to step in to help her baby brother.

                                                NANCY

                        Great job Steve, now you’ve got Holly started.

                                                STEVE

                                    (to Holly)

                        Knock it off, shorty.

                                                HOLLY

                        You said it.

                                                STEVE

                        So?

                                                TV HOST

                        How about it? Is there someone special in

                        your life?

El shyly wiggles in the chair. At home, Mike can’t seem to take his eyes off the screen.

                                                EL

                        I -

Her hands fly out nervously, catching the microphone cord and accidentally snipping it. A fuse blows. The audience gasps. Her metal fingers glow. Another fuse blows sparks and the studio goes dark. The audience starts to yell.

                                                TV HOST

                        Uh, everything's all right. We'll take a break

                        and be right back after these messages.

A commercial takes over. Mike catches his breath. His eyes widen and his hands cover his mouth.

                                                MIKE

                        Oh no!

                                                NANCY

                        Wow….

Steve laughs, amazed.

                                                MIKE   

                        Why are you laughing? She got hurt.

                                                STEVE

                        It was a little shock. Ha! Ha! Ha!

                                                MIKE

                        A little shock?

                                                STEVE

                        I wish we'd been taping that. I'd give my left

                        nut to see that again.

Mike groans in disgust and Nancy rolls her eyes.

HAYES’S HOUSE. THAT WEEKEND. NIGHT TIME.

It’s bopping at Jennifer’s house. The party is in full swing. There’s crowds of kids from Hawkins High in every room. Music is blasting obnoxiously.

El is in the kitchen, surrounded by Jennifer Hayes and a gaggle of other girls. They all bombard her with questions.  

                                                JENNIFER

                        I can’t believe you were on TV!

                                                STACEY

                        What was it like? Did they give you free stuff?

                        I heard they give you free stuff when you go on

                        the show.

                                                AMBER

                        I love your hair! It’s such a statement!

                                                JENNIFER

                        Oh my God – could you do my hair?

                                                EL

                                    (nodding)

                        Okay -  

                                                AMBER

                        No way – she’s gotta do mine first! I have my

                        sister’s wedding next week.

The girls all start arguing at the same time about who’s hair El will style first. El smiles good naturedly at the onslaught of attention, uncomfortable but not sure how to get out of it.

MEANWHILE, HAYES LIVING ROOM.

Mike, Lucas, and Max are standing around talking. In the background, Will can be seen talking to some of his art classmates and Dustin is dancing around goofily, a lampshade on his head. 

                                                            MAX

                                    (about Dustin)

                        So how long do you think it’ll take for him to go from

                         “happy drunk” to “pukey drunk”?

                                                LUCAS

                        I give it another hour.

Just then, Dustin trips over his own feet and falls flat on his face, but jumps back up almost immediately.

                                                DUSTIN

                                    (in the background)

                        No need to be alarmed, gentle ladies and gentle men!

                        I am unharmed!!

                                                MIKE

                        More like 30 minutes. Tops.

A group of JOCKS approach.

                                                CHAD

                        Lucas, bro! Come rep the football team in beer pong dude!

                        We gotta show those twerps in swim!

                                                LUCAS

                        Beer pong - ? I don’t know guys –

                                                JOCKS

                                    (chanting)

                        LU-CAS! LU-CAS! LU-CAS!

Mike rolls his eyes. Max looks amused and nudges Lucas. Lucas feigns modesty but is actually quite delighted people are chanting his name. He jumps up.

                                                LUCAS

                        Alright, alright. I’ll win ONE game for you

                        assholes -       

The jocks and the other partygoers erupt into raucous cheering as they lead Lucas away to the beer pong table. It’s just Max and Mike now.

                                                MAX

                        So you’ll never guess what my asshole stepdad did this time –

But Mike is hardly listening. His eyes are fixed on the kitchen, where El is still surrounded by Jennifer and her friends.

                                                MAX

                        He adopted a killer clown from outer space,

                        and we’re going to name it Allie.

                                                MIKE

                        Oh yeah, good for him.

                                    (beat)

                        What?

                                                MAX

                                    (sighing)

                        Why don’t you just go over there and hang out with her?

                                                MIKE

                        What? Who? El?

                                                MAX

                        No, Allie the space clown. YES El!

                                                MIKE

                         Why would I do that?

                                                MAX

                        Because you’re in love with her?

                                                MIKE

                        What?? I’m not – that’s just – I’m not _in love_ –

                                    (resigned)

                        She’s been surrounded by people since we got here.

                        I can’t get a word in edgewise.

HAYES KITCHEN.

The girls are still gathered around El.

                                                STACEY

                        So like, where do you get your clothes?

                        I mean the black thing. It’s so edgy.

                                                JENNIFER

                        Is it _real_ leather?

                                                AMBER

                        Ethically, I don’t agree with leather. But fashionably,

                        its such a statement.

El’s finally had enough.

                                                EL

                        I um, I have to go now.

She starts moving away, towards the living room.

                                                JENNIFER

                        What? But El –

Jennifer tries to step in front of her, and El accidently pokes Jennifer with one of her blades. But in her haste to leave, El doesn’t notice.

                                                JENNIFER

                        OUCH! Oh my gosh – did you guys see that?

There’s a bit of blood coming out from the shallow cut.

                                                JENNIFER

                        She totally just cut me.

                                                STACEY

                        Oh my God! Are you okay?

                                                AMBER

                        Rude!

El makes her way through the crowded kitchen towards the living room, eager to re-join the Party. For a moment, the crowd seems to part and she sees – Mike. Talking to Max. The rest of the Party nowhere to be seen. Something Max says makes Mike smile and laugh. El’s face falls.

Instead of proceeding to the living room, El turns, and makes her way out into the

HAYES BACKYARD.

We see that the hedges have been shaped into dolphins leaping in and out of the grass like water – El’s handiwork. It’s quiet and cool out here. There are only a few people outside, most of them farther out towards the back of the yard. For the most part, El is finally away from the crowds of hangers-on and gossips.

She can see the MANSION ON THE MOUNTAIN from here. It twinkles mysteriously in the moonlight. It’s the exact reverse from before – when El was atop the mountain, looking down on the twinkling lights of the town. Before she can contemplate further the radical shift her life has taken – a figure steps abruptly into view, blocking out the mansion.  

                                                TROY

                        Hey! Scissors girl!

MEANWHILE, HAYES LIVING ROOM.

Mike and Max are still talking. Mike keeps taking glances over at the kitchen, but this time he notices – El is gone.

                                                MIKE

                        Hey…where’d she go?

                                                MAX

                        Oh. Huh. She was just there. I’m sure she must be

                        around somewhere.

                                                MIKE

                        I-I should go look for her. Mom said to not let her

                        out of my sight.

                                                MAX

                        When are you gonna stop blaming your mom for

                        your weird little crush?   

Mike just gives her the finger, already heading off.

MEANWHILE, HAYES BACKYARD.

Troy has taken a seat next to El on the porch.

                                                TROY  

                        So, you having fun at the party? Jennifer’s

                        kind of a bitch but she always throws good keggers.

                        Rich chicks, you know?

                                                EL

                        Um…yes. Everybody is very friendly here.

It’s an innocent comment, but Troy scoots closer.

                                                TROY

                        Yeah? Well that’s ‘cause you’re easy to be friendly to.       

                        You’re all quiet, and agreeable. I love chicks like that.

                                    (beat)

                        And I bet you kiss great, too.

El frowns.

                                                EL

                        Kiss? What’s kiss?

                                                TROY

                        You don’t know what kiss means?

                                                EL

                        No.

Troy grins.

                                                TROY

                        Well, just close your eyes and open your mouth.

El, in all her innocence, does as she’s told. She closes her eyes and opens her mouth comically large – like she’s about to fit an entire cheeseburger in there. Troy doesn’t hesitate – he goes in, awkwardly trying to put his lips over hers.

                                                MIKE

                        El, are you back here -

El jumps up, pulling away from Troy. She feels like she’s been caught doing something she shouldn’t have, but she doesn’t know why.

                                                MIKE

                        Oh. Oh my God. I – I’m sorry. I didn’t know –

                        I’m just – I think I’m gonna head home now, El.

                        Good night.

Mike doesn’t wait for a reply. He turns tail and bolts straight back into the house.  

                                                EL

                        M-Mike? Mike – !

                                                TROY

                        Hey, wait a minute –

El pushes Troy off of her and heads off after Mike.

                                                TROY

                                    (yelling after her)

                        HEY! COME BACK HERE! WHERE DO YOU THINK

                        YOU’RE GOING?!

                                   (beat) 

                         Freak. 

HAYES FRONT LAWN. SECONDS LATER.

Mike is speed walking home. El tries to catch up with him.

                                                EL

                        Mike! Are we – are we going home?

                                                MIKE

                        (not looking at her or slowing down)

                        I am. You can stay if you want.

                                                EL

                        Oh….okay.  

Its simple to El. If Mike is going home then she’s going home. But she’s taken aback by his curt tone. It seems that Mike doesn’t like her very much. She follows behind him quietly, all the way back home.

WHEELER DINING ROOM. THE NEXT MORNING.

The Wheelers are having breakfast. The whole family’s there – Mike, Nancy, Holly, Karen and Ted. El appears and joins them at the table.               

                                                KAREN

                        Sleep in late, dear? That party must have tired you out.  

                                                TED

                        So, Ellie. Did you have fun?

                                                EL

                        Yes. I heard a lot of loud music.

                        Jennifer Hayes and all her friends want me to cut their

                        hair.  

                                                TED

                        Well that’s just wonderful.

                                                EL

                        And then Troy sat next to me in the garden and

                        tried to put his tongue inside my mouth.

Nancy and Karen’s eyes widen. They look to El and then to each other, shocked. Holly giggles. Mike’s eyes are glued to his plate, pushing his eggs around forcefully. He feels confused, hurt, and jealous. Only Ted blathers on, oblivious.

                                                TED

                        El, I can't tell you how thrilled I am. 

                        I'm just as pleased as punch that you’re fitting in so well.

                        School, friends, and this whole beauty

                        parlor thing, doing the women’s hair. That's going to teach you

                        volumes. It’s gonna get you set up for life.

                        So I guess the bank is going to be your next step, huh?

                                                EL

                        The bank?

                                                TED

                        Yeah, take out a loan. Get yourself started.

                        Nothing to worry about. With your talent and

                        reputation, it's going to be a snap.

El nods and smiles agreeably, trusting in Ted completely. Of course it will be a snap.

BANK OFFICE. LATER.

El and Karen sit across the desk of a middle-aged BANK CLERK. He is sifting through a stack of paperwork they’ve brought.

                                                BANK CLERK

                        No credit, no record of jobs you've held, no

                        savings, no personal investment.

                                    (sighing)

                        No social security number. You may as well not even

                        exist. There is no collateral.

                                                KAREN

                        Well, we already have a second mortgage on the

                        house, but…. don't the testimonials make a

                        difference? Did you see here? The mayor's wife can’t

                        wait to be a client!

                                                BANK CLERK

                        We simply can't do it. Now get yourself a

                        social security card. Establish credit and buy

                        yourself a car. You have a decided advantage.

                                    (beat)  

                        You can get one of those handicapped placards.

                        No problem. Park anywhere you like.

OUTSIDE OF THE BANK. MINUTES LATER.

El stands back as Karen fumes.

                                                KAREN  

                        I can't believe it. Really, it's just an

                        outrage. Don't you worry. This isn't the end of it.

                        We'll get your money somehow!

NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. AFTER SCHOOL.

Mike and Lucas are walking home. They’re in the middle of a heated discussion.

                                                MIKE

                        --But that's breaking and entering!

                                                LUCAS

                        Look. Her parents have insurance up the rear!

                        All it will cost them is a little hassle. That's it.

                                                MIKE

                        That’s it? That’s _it_? It’s illegal Lucas, no way!

                                                LUCAS

                        Look Mike, you know I wouldn’t ask you this if it wasn’t

                        super important to me. And Max. This was the first

                        skateboard her dad – her real dad – ever gave her! And

                        Neil just took it away and locked it up for _no reason_. All

                        we’re really doing is getting her rightful property back.

                        That’s like, the opposite of stealing.

                                                MIKE

                        So if it’s so important to you both then why can't

 _you two_ just do it?

                                                LUCAS

                        Because her psycho stepdad keeps the damn room locked,

                        and we need El to get us in.

                                                MIKE

                        Why can't Max take the key like when he's

                        sleeping or something?

                                                LUCAS

                        Look, you don't understand; the only thing the guy hangs

                        onto tighter is his dick. Please Mike…I just…I really want

                        to do this for Max. I’m so close to winning her over man,

                        you gotta help me out here.

                                                MIKE

                        This is crazy.

                                                LUCAS

 _Come on_ , Mike. Please. You know El would do

                        anything you ask.

                                                MIKE

                        What do you mean?  That's not true.

                                                LUCAS

                        Oh, no? Why don't you ask her then?

                                                MIKE

                        That's not fair.

                                                LUCAS

                        Mike, I’ve racked my brain. There isn't any other way.

                                                MIKE

                        There’s got to be.

Troubled, Mike walks on, mulling it over.  


	3. The Break-In

HAWKINS HIGH QUAD. THE NEXT DAY.  

The Party, with El, sit on the bleachers, eating their lunch.

                                                DUSTIN

                        So, El, I heard you had a good time at the party, huh?

                        With Troy – OW! What? Jesus.

Will has just elbowed Dustin, his eyes darting towards Mike, who is looking everywhere but at El.

                                                EL

                        I guess so. He told me what a kiss was.

                                                MAX

                        You didn’t know what a kiss was?

                                                EL

                        He said its when you close your eyes and open your

                        mouth. So I did. And then he pressed his face against mine.

                                    (beat)

                        I don’t think I like kisses.

At that, Mike finally looks up at her.

                                                WILL

                        Wait, so you and Troy aren’t ….?

El looks at Will blankly, waiting for him to finish. Will tries a different tactic.

                                                WILL

                        So you didn’t like kissing Troy?

                                                EL

                        No. He smells like cigarettes and gasoline.

This makes the Party snicker. Mike breaks into a smile for the first time, feeling relieved, and a little sheepish.  Lucas and Max exchange a look, and Max rolls her eyes.

                                                MAX

_Anyway._ Now that we’ve established what Troy smells like.

                        My mom and Neil are going out of town this weekend.

She looks at Lucas pointedly.

                                                MAX               

                        The house is gonna be empty.

Lucas catches Mike’s eye, raising an eyebrow, before nodding in El’s direction. Mike sighs.

                                                MIKE

                        Hey, El? Could I talk to you? Privately?

                                                DUSTIN

                        Why, Michael! I am appalled and offended!

                        Is our company not good enough for you anymore?

                                    MAX, LUCAS, and MIKE

                        Shut up, Dustin.

Those three are definitely tense today. Dustin puts his hands up and makes a face, like _alright, yikes._ Mike leads El off a ways from the bleachers, towards some trees.

                                                MIKE

                        Listen, El, um… I need a favor –

                                                TROY

                        Hey Frogface!

Suddenly, Troy and James appear, laughing. Mike immediately tenses.

                                                TROY

                        Looks like you finally found yourself a girl, huh?

                        Figures she’d be half-robot.

                                                EL  
                        Frogface? Robot?

                                                MIKE

                        What the hell do you two want?

                                                TROY

                                    (looking at El)

                        Not any of that. Sloppy seconds.

                                                JAMES

                        It’s the only way Frogface can get any - from a freaky

                        sex-bot that the perv inventor built.

Mike burns with embarrassment and anger, his hands balling up into fists.

                                                MIKE

                        Shut the fuck up.

                                                JAMES

                        Woah – when did you grow balls? I figured they got

                        snipped off, you know, cuz I heard she’s got scissors

                        down there too!

At that, James and Troy erupt into more laughter. Mike sees red.

                                                MIKE

                        I said shut the FUCK up!

                                                TROY

                        Relax, Mikey! It’s just a joke. I took her for a test run

                        at the party – that old perv may not have given her hands,

                        but he definitely gave her a nice p–

That’s pretty much it for Mike. Troy doesn’t finish. Mike charges at him, coldclocking him right in the face. Troy falls to the ground, dazed but not out. He gets up slowly, holding his jaw. A crowd of students start to gather, eager to see a fight.

                                                TROY

                        Nice one, Wheeler. My turn.

He’s not kidding. Troy is pissed, and he’s got a switchblade out, stalking towards Mike. Alarmed, Mike takes a step back. And then another, and another, until he’s backed up right against the tree. No where else to go.

The Party have elbowed their way to the front of the crowd, panicked.

                                                DUSTIN

                        MIKE!

                                                WILL

                        I’m getting the principal –

                                                LUCAS

                        Shit! Somebody needs to help him –

Lucas starts to make his way over to Mike and Troy. 

                                                MAX

                        Lucas! Don’t!

It doesn’t seem like he’d get there on time anyway – Troy is almost on Mike, when suddenly – SNIP! SNIP! Troy’s pants drop down to his knees. Caught off guard, he trips over himself, falling flat on his face, pantsless. The crowd starts laughing and hooting.

                                                STUDENT

                        Holy shit! He’s wearing He-Man boxers!

Troy fumes, attempting to get up but tripping over his ripped up pants again. He clutches the pants, trying to cover himself, looking out towards the throng of people laughing at him. Even James is laughing.

                                                TROY

                        You’re gonna die for this, Wheeler! You’re gonna

                        die!! You AND that freak!!

The threats are empty though. His face red, Troy turns tail and runs straight off, still trying to cover himself with the remnants of his pants.

Mike can’t quite believe what just happened, his adrenaline still pumping. El approaches him, her blades snipping anxiously at her sides.

                                                EL

                        Mike – are you alright?

Lucas and the rest of the Party finally make their way over, too.

                                                LUCAS

                        Did you see that??

                                                DUSTIN

                        She just – SNIP SNIP! Totally emasculated him!

                                                MAX

                        She could have done _so much_ worse –

                                                WILL

                        That was so cool, El!

                                                LUCAS

                        Yeah, totally!

                                                EL

                        Cool?

Mike looks at her, even more awed now than he was before.

                                                MIKE

                        Yeah, definitely cool. Way, _way_ cool.

He’s beaming at her. El looks down at her feet, smiling shyly. 

WHEELER BASEMENT. THAT NIGHT.

El is getting ready for bed, attempting to tug the pull-out from the couch rather unsuccessfully. Her blades keep getting caught in the cushions. Suddenly, she hears the pat-pat-pat of footsteps coming down the stairs – it’s Mike.

                                                MIKE

                        Oh here, let me help you with that.  

El steps back. Mike lifts the cushions off and unfolds the bed with ease.

                                                MIKE

                        There.

                                                EL  
                        Thanks, Mike.

                                                MIKE

                        Yeah. Of course. Um…thank you for today. At lunch.

                        With Troy.

                                                EL

                        Of course.

There’s a long moment of comfortable silence. Mike just sort of looks at her, his eyes moving across her face, from her eyes to her lips and back again. He’s standing close and inching closer. El isn’t quite sure what is happening but doesn’t find it unpleasant either.

                                                TED

                                    (calling from upstairs)

                        MIKE? ELLIE?

The sound of Ted’s voice breaks the spell. They both jump apart.

                                                TED

                        LIGHTS OUT IN TEN – IT’S A SCHOOL NIGHT!

Mike sighs.

                                                MIKE

                        I’LL BE UP IN A MINUTE!!

                                    (to El)

                        Sorry. I uh, I came down here to ask you

                        something, actually. I was gonna ask today at

                        lunch but well, you know….Anyway, it’s a favor, El.

                        Sort of a big one.

MAX’S HOUSE. OUTSIDE. THAT WEEKEND, NIGHT.

Dustin’s van pulls up. Max and Lucas climb out along with Mike and El, all of them dressed in black. There are a few lights on in the house. Mike balks.                          

                                                MIKE

                        Max! The lights are on – they’re home!

                                                MAX

                        Those go on automatically. They're gone for the

                        weekend. I told you.

                                                MIKE

                                    (whispering to Max)

                        You turned off the alarm. Right?

                                                MAX

                        Yes, everything, come on. Let's go. Come on!

                                                MIKE

                                    (more or less to himself)

                        I can't believe we’re actually doing this.

                                                LUCAS

                                    (whispering to Mike)

                        Are you sure she doesn't know this is Max’s

                        house?

                                                MIKE

                        She's never been here.

                                                EL

                                    (to Max)

                        This person stole from you?

                                                MAX

                        Keep your voice down. Yes, he stole it.

                        And I gotta get it back. Now come on. Let's go.

                        We gotta be quick.

                                                EL

                        Can’t his parents make him give it back to you?

                                                LUCAS

                                    (getting more anxious)

                        Listen, we’ve already tried that. The guy's

                        parents are like he is. Okay? Now, you told Mike

                        you'd do this. Well, come on. We can't stand out

                        here like this, El. Come on! 

Max and Lucas urge El towards the front door. Taking a deep breath, El sets to work on the lock. The door clicks and everyone pours

INSIDE MAX’S HOUSE.

Using flashlights, they make their way through the living room. Max quickly turns over a photograph of herself on one of the lamp tables to keep El from seeing it.

AT NEIL’S OFFICE DOOR

El works at the dead bolt for an uncomfortably long time. At last it gives. She eases open the door and steps inside. Instantly, ALARMS go off, and the door electronically swings shut. A series of bolts is activated, and she is trapped. The phone dials the police.

                                                MAX

                        The bastard had it wired separately!!

                        We gotta leave, NOW!

                                                MIKE

                        No!! We can't just leave her in there!!

Sirens blare in the distance. Both Max and Lucas, panicked, start physically dragging Mike out into Dustin’s van. Once inside the van, Dustin, also panicked from hearing the sirens, speeds off.

                                                MIKE

                        Dustin, turn around! Let me out!! We gotta

                        go back, NOW!

                                                MAX

                        No!

                                                MIKE

                        Max, it's your house! They can't arrest you for

                        setting off your own alarm.

                                                MAX

                        I'm not going back there. Okay?

                                                MIKE

                        We HAVE to!

                                                MAX

                        No, because Neil will prosecute.

                                                MIKE

                        His own daughter?!

                                                MAX

_Step_ daughter, and yes!! ESPECIALLY his own

                        stepdaughter.

                        (losing it a little from the stress of the situation)    

                        He’s a fucking psycho, Mike, how many times do

                        I have to fucking tell you?!  

INSIDE NEIL’S OFFICE.

El helplessly scrabbles at the door.

OUT FRONT,

Three blaring squad cars come screaming up and COPS spring out, yanking out their guns. Neighbors hurry from their houses to see what’s happening. JIM HOPPER shouts through a megaphone.

                                                HOPPER

                        We know you're in there. We're in the process of

                        deactivating the system so that you can come out.

INSIDE NEIL’S OFFICE.

The bolts that had shot across the door retract. Meekly, El goes to the front door and

OUTSIDE.

She is blinded by spotlights. The neighbors murmur – they recognize El.

                                                HOPPER

                        Put your hands high in the air so we can see

                        them. Put your hands up!

El obeys.

                                                POLICEMAN

                                    (to HOPPER)

                        She's got something in her hands. Looks like

                        knives.

                                                HOPPER

                        Drop your weapon I repeat. Drop your weapon.

El squints, still blinded, and edges forward.

                                                HOPPER

                        I'll ask you one more time and this is your

                        last warning. Drop your weapon. If you fail to

                        do so, we'll have to open fire. Don't make us

                        do that. Drop your weapons. Drop them. Now.

Confused, El doesn’t know what he’s talking about. She has no weapons.

                                                HOPPER

                                    (lowering the megaphone)

                        Looks like we got a psycho. Prepare to open fire.

The cops cock their guns.

                                                NEIGHBORS

                        NO!!

                                                WOMAN 1

                        Please. We know her!

                                                WOMAN 2

                        DON’T SHOOT! Those are her hands! Those aren’t knives!

                        They’re her hands!!

The cops lower their weapons, taking a closer look. The neighbors are right.

                                                HOPPER

                        Alright… cuff her.

POLICE STATION. LATER THAT NIGHT.

                                                KAREN

                        But can we see her now?

                                                HOPPER

                        We'll have to hold her overnight for observation.

                                                KAREN

                        She has to stay in jail all night?

                                                HOPPER

                        You can pick her up in the morning.

Karen and Ted are escorted into a bare room where El is being detained. Both are fraught, especially Karen. She clutches onto Ted as if for dear life.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, El, dear. I blame myself.

                                                TED

                                    (to El)

                        What in God's name was going through your mind,

                        young lady?

El’s head hangs.

                                                KAREN

                        Why didn't I set a better example? You saw how I

                        envied Max’s parents their money.

                                                TED

                        What were you going to do with that stuff?

                                                KAREN

                        I said, "We'll get money for the salon somehow."

                        But, dear, I never meant stealing.

                        Stealing's not the way to get it. Stealing's

                        not the way to get anything.

                                                TED

                        Except trouble. And you're in a serious heap of that.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, El, why ever did you do this?

                                    (to Ted)

                        Damn those TV programs!

                                                TED

                        Damn them all to hell.

                                                KAREN

                        Or did someone put you up to this, honey?

El says nothing. Miserable, she stares at the floor.

POLICE STATION. LATER THAT SAME NIGHT.

El stands at the desk while a police psychologist reviews her files. Hopper looks on.

                                                HOPPER

                        Will she be okay, doc?

                                                PSYCHOLOGIST

                        The years spent in isolation have not equipped

                        her with the tools necessary to judge right

                        from wrong. She’s had no context. She’s been

                        completely without guidance. Furthermore her

                        work, the garden sculptures, hair styles, and

                        what not, indicate that she's a highly

                        imaginative character. It seems clear that her

                        awareness of what we call reality is radically

                        underdeveloped.

                                                HOPPER

                        But will she be _all right_ out there, doc?

                                                PSYCHOLOGIST

                        Oh, yeah. She'll be fine.

                                                HOPPER

                                    (to El)

                        Listen. It could keep me up all night worrying

                        about you. Watch yourself, you hear?

STREET. NEXT DAY.

The neighborhood women, including the mothers of some Party members and other mothers of Hawkins High students, have gathered.

                                                JENNIFER’S MOTHER

                        I heard this noise and ran out in my bathrobe.

                                                MRS. SINCLAIR

                        All along I felt in my gut that there was something

                        wrong with her.

                                                CLAUDIA

                        It could have been my house.

                                                TROY’S MOTHER 

                        It could have been any of our houses.

WHEELER HOUSE, KITCHEN. A LITTLE LATER.

El is finally back home. Karen is on the phone, El’s appointment book open before her.               

                                                KAREN

                        Well, for goodness sakes, Joyce, I'll see you at

                        our Christmas party before I get you here for

                        your haircut! Why, of course, we'll have it this

                        year. Why wouldn't we have it this year? …Well,

                        you may think that, but you're wrong.

El drifts past Karen, heading slowly into and through the living room, only very nearly colliding with Mike – who hurries in through the front door.

                                                MIKE

                        El! You’re back! They didn't hurt you, did they?

                        Were you scared?

El stares at the floor.

                                                MIKE

                        I tried to make them go back, El. Please believe me…

                        I-I’m _so_ sorry.  

El says nothing. It hardly surprises Mike, but it hurts him anyway. He hangs his head, feeling ashamed.

                                                MIKE

                        Thank you for not telling anybody that we…

                                                EL

                        You’re welcome.

Hearing her say that just makes him feel all the more guilty. He can’t look her in the eyes.

                                                MIKE

                        It must have been awful when they told you

                        whose house it was.

                                                EL

                        I know it was Max’s house.

                                                MIKE

                        You did?

                                                EL

                        Yes.

                                                MIKE

                        Well…then why did you do it?

                                                EL

                        Because you asked me to.

Mike finally looks up at El, his face a mixture of emotions that she doesn’t understand.

Outside, the back gate slams loudly. Through the bay window, Max can be seen striding across the backyard.

It is impossible for Mike to deal with what El’s just said. He hurries out to confront Max.

El watches him run across the patio. His back is to her and she can’t see the furious look on his face. She only sees that Mike has left her, hurrying out for Max. El drags her blades down the drapes and heads off down the hall, clawing her fingers across the wall and leaving deep slashes in the wallpaper as she goes.

MEANWHILE, WHEELER’S BACKYARD.

                                                MIKE

                        What the hell are you doing here, Max?

                                                MAX

                        I came to say sorry, Wheeler. Listen, I did

                        what I could. I never thought it would turn out

                        this way! Can you just – can you just tell

                        El that I’m sorry?

                                                MIKE

                        Sure. I can do that. And _you_ can tell the truth

                        to Neil!

                                                MAX

                        So can YOU! You were there, too!

                                                MIKE

                                    (defensively)

                        It wasn't my idea. You know I didn't want to do

                        It.

                                                MAX

                        But you did do it, didn’t you?

The comment stings. It’s the truth.

                                                MIKE

                        Don’t come back here, Max.

MEANWHILE, DOWN THE HALLWAY.

El has swept through the hall, leaving a trail of slash marks on the walls and draperies. She makes her way into the bathroom. Staring at her own reflection in the mirror, El drags her blades down the walls, over and over again, barely containing the rage she’s feeling.  


	4. The End

WHEELER’S DINING ROOM. DINNERTIME.

El sits slumped over at the table, dejected and absolutely miserable.

                                                TED

                        Well, we’re gonna try to help you find a

                        way to replace the drapes and the towels, Ellie,

                        but our confidence in you is not going to

                        be so easy to replace.

                                                MIKE

                        Leave her alone dad…

                                                TED

                        Okay, a little ethics. You’re walking down the

                        street. You find a suitcase full of money.

                        There's nobody around. No human person is in

                        evidence. What do you do? A) You keep the money.

                        B) You use it to buy gifts for your friends and

                        loved ones. C) You give it to the poor. D) You turn it

                        in to the police.

                                                MIKE

                        This is so stupid.

                                                KAREN

                        Mike, hush.

                                                HOLLY

                        I’d keep the money.

                                                KAREN

                        Holly!

                                                TED

                        El? We are waiting.

                                                EL

                                    (timidly)

                        Give it to my loved ones?

Ted drops his head into his hands.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, El honey, it does seem that that's what you

                        should do, but it's not.

                                                NANCY

                        You’re supposed to say “give it to the police”, El.

                                                TED

                        Good thinking, Nancy.

                                                MIKE

                        Well, think about it, you guys. I mean, that's

                        the nicer thing to do. That's what I would do.

                                                TED

                        Mike, now, we're not trying to confuse her more,

                        we’re trying to make things a little easier for her, so

                        let's cut the comedy, alright?

                                                MIKE

                        I’m serious, dad! It's a much nicer thing to do.

                                                TED

                        Well, we're not talking nice. We're talking right and

                        wrong.

Holly snickers.

                                                MIKE

                        Shut up, Holly!

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, for goodness sake, no wonder poor El can't

                        learn right from wrong, living in _this_ family.

VARIOUS HOUSES. DAY.

The neighborhood women, once again, gossiping on their phones.

                                                MRS. SINCLAIR

                        Did you hear what she did to Karen's curtains?

                                                JENNIFER’S MOTHER

                        She’s a menace. You know she slashed into Jenny’s

                        arm at her party?

                                                TROY’S MOTHER

                        I’m not surprised. She practically assaulted my son

                        at school, threatening him with those knives! All because

                        he wasn’t interested after she got fresh with him!

                                                STACEY’S MOTHER

                        Oh my God! And they've got that teenage

                        son in the house. Oh, that poor thing, after what

                        happened to Troy, can you imagine?

                                                CLAUDIA

                        What did you say to Karen about the Christmas

                        party?

                                                JOYCE

                        I said I hoped we'd make it.

                                                CLAUDIA

                        I lied, too.

WHEELERS’ HOUSE. NIGHT OF THE PARTY.  

Clambering around on the roof, Ted sets up his annual Christmas display. He laces strings of lights up and staples down some fake cotton snow to the roof.

INSIDE, IN THE LIVING ROOM.

Karen, Mike, and Nancy thread strings of lights through the branches of the Christmas tree, a perfectly trimmed and shaped fir, its top nearly brushing the ceiling.

                                                KAREN

                        Where’s Holly?

                                                NANCY

                        Still at Amy’s.

                                                KAREN

                        Goodness sakes, I told her to be back by six to

                        help with the decorations.

MEANWHILE, NEIGHBORHOOD STREET.

Troy and James are sitting in James’ car, Troy swigging on a bottle of Jack Daniels. James is flat-on-his-ass drunk, draped over the steering wheel. The car is parked on the side of the road, askew, its rear half sticking out, a testament to the conditions of the boys’ sobriety, or lack thereof. Troy is drunk as well, fuming and ranting.

                                                TROY

                        Can you imagine the disgusting shit she must get

                        up to with that sick freak Wheeler? She’s not

                        even human! That shit should be illegal! 

                                                JAMES

                        Heh, yeah.

                                    (beat)

                        Wait. Weren’t you into her, Troy?

Troy whacks James upside the head.

                                                TROY

                        Shut the fuck up! That’s not the fucking point!

                                                JAMES

                        (barely following the conversation)

                        It’s not?

                                                TROY

                        No! The point is….

Troy takes a last swig of the Jack Daniels. He’s emptied it. Throws it out the window. His face darkens.

                                                TROY

                        The point is, no one humiliates me like that.

                        No one. Take me to her house.

                                                JAMES

                                    (slurring his words)

                        Oh come on, man…don’t make me drive like this…

                                                TROY

                        Just do it! DRIVE!

                                                JAMES

                        Alright, alright…fuck….

Soon, the car swerves back onto the road – without its headlights. James has forgotten to turn them on.

MEANWHILE, AMY’S HOUSE.

Holly opens the front door to leave.

                                                AMY’S MOTHER

                        Holly? Shouldn’t you wait for your parents?

                                                HOLLY

                        It’s okay. I can walk home. See ya later Amy!

                       Bye Mrs. Brown!

Holly steps outside and heads towards her house. It’s spooky out. Full of shadows. She walks quickly.

MEANWHILE, WHEELERS’ RESIDENCE. LIVING ROOM.

Mike, Nancy, and Karen are still putting up decorations in preparation for the Christmas party.  

                                                MIKE

                        Mom, do you really think that we should be

                        having this party?

                                                KAREN

                        Why, of course I think we should be having this

                        party. Of course I do. I mean it’s just what we

                        need to calm things down and then

                        everything will just go back to normal. Do we

                        have any more bells, honey?

                                                MIKE               

                        I’ll go look.

Mike goes to a pile of boxes of Christmas decorations by the window. He can see El in the backyard. She is standing on a step ladder, cutting into a gigantic block of ice, her attention rapt, a kind of glow on her. Her face, which has sometimes looked almost vacant, is now lit up; her hands work with more certainty than ever, without an instant’s hesitation.

Mike watches in wonder. He can’t help but drift towards her, onto the patio. He steps closer and closer, mesmerized. Soon, he stands directly beneath the shower of ice spraying off of El’s blades.

He opens his arms to embrace the falling flakes. Smiling, his eyes closed, he tips his face upwards, the flakes of ice falling onto his hair and face. On and on and on, El showers him with glittering chips of ice, fragments of pure light. In this moment, Mike is happy, and everything is beautiful.  

Soon enough, the flow of flakes dwindle, then stop. Mike opens his eyes. In front of him stands El, having gotten off the step ladder. She is dressed in her new Christmas party outfit – all in white. Mike thinks she looks –

                                                MIKE

                        Pretty.

El’s scissors snip shyly at her side.

                                                EL

                        Pretty?

                                                MIKE

                        Yeah. Real pretty.

                                                EL

                        Like….like Max?

Mike scrunches up his face, confused.

                                                MIKE

                        What? Max?  No –

                        Wait. Do you think – I like Max?

El looks down at her feet, saying nothing. The realization finally dawns on Mike.

                                                MIKE

                        El – I don’t like Max. I uh, I actually –

He sighs.

                                                MIKE

                        Um. Forget it. It’s stupid.

                                                EL

                        Mike.

                                                MIKE

                        Yeah?

                                                EL

                        Tell me the truth.

After what the Party asked El to do, breaking into Max’s house and all, Mike knows he owes El at least that. The truth.

                                                MIKE

                        Well, it’s just that…

                                    (here goes nothing)

                        I like _you,_ El.

                                                EL

                        Like a friend?

                                                MIKE

                        No, not like a friend. Like _more_ than just a friend.

                                                EL

                        Like a sister.

                                                MIKE

_No_ , not – definitely not like a sister!

El frowns, still feeling confused.

                                                MIKE

                        Like a – like ….

Mike sighs again, and takes a big gulp. Then, he decides.

Leaning forward, he presses a kiss against El’s lips. When he pulls back, her eyes are wide with surprise, but a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth.

                                                EL

                        Mike….

They gaze at each other, both nervous but happy. Until….something catches El’s eye behind Mike.

Rounding the far corner, James’s car weaves onto the street – going too fast, headlight-less and hard to see. Holly can be seen bounding across the street, towards the Wheelers’ house – right in the path of the car.

                                                EL

                        Holly!

But Holly doesn’t hear her.

El sprints out of the backyard, onto the street. Mike quickly follows after her, alarmed. 

                                                EL

                        Watch out! Holly!!

El sprints off the curb and onto the street, bumping Holly out of the path of the oncoming car just as it’s about to hit her. The two of them tumble onto the sidewalk. El kneels over Holly. In her worry, her scissors absently graze over the little girl.

                                                EL

                        Holly – are you okay?

                                                HOLLY

                        Ow! El –

Alerted by the commotion outside, several nosy neighbors come out to gawk at the situation. Among them are JENNIFER, STACEY, and AMBER, from the party.

                                                STACEY

                        Oh my God! What are you doing? Get off of her!

Mike rushes to help both El and Holly up.

                                                MIKE

                        Holly, are you alright?

                                    (to the neighbors)

                        El wasn’t trying to do anything to her!

                                                HOLLY

                        Yeah, I’m okay…

                                                AMBER

                        She’s crazy! She scratched Jennifer up too,

                        at her party!

                                                JENNIFER

                        What’s the matter with you? Go back to that

                        creepy castle and leave us alone!

                                                STACEY

                        She can’t touch anything without destroying it.

                        Homicidal maniac!

Amber, Stacey, and Jennifer are leading the charge, but a growing crowd of neighbors have joined them, equally hostile.

                                                HOLLY

                        It’s just a scratch. I’m okay, honest!

                                                MIKE

                        El was trying to push her out of the way of that car!

But Mike’s words are to no avail. People are yelling over him, drowning him out, crowding around El. In the uproar, James and Troy are forgotten in the car. Having narrowly missed hitting Holly, they drive off and away, unnoticed.

                                                NEIGHBOR 1

                        Get the hell out of here!

                                                NEIGHBOR 2

                        Yeah, stay away from us! Get the hell out!

                                                NEIGHBOR 3

                        Go! Freak!!

                                                MIKE

                        El, let’s just take Holly home –

But instead, El takes off, the hostility and cruel jeers of the crowd overwhelming her. Mike tries to follow but is blocked off and quickly swallowed up by the crowd of angry neighbors. 

El hurries down the sidewalk. The neighbors are all bark and no bite. None dares try to follow her.

El’s fingers are in constant motion, aggressively clipping. She is angry, hurt and confused. She hacks at her own clothes, at the pretty white party dress until it’s shredded to pieces and falls off her, and she is back again in the all black get-up that she’s always worn. As El walks, she swipes at the trees, at the hedges, at the sculptures she trims. In the houses she passes, more and more people look out their window.

Claudia and Dustin Henderson watches as El scuttles by their house, reaching out violently as she passes to chop a leg off the hedge sculpture in their front lawn. Alarmed, Claudia picks up the phone.

                                                CLAUDIA

                        I’m calling the police!

                                                DUSTIN

                        What? Mom, no!

But Claudia is already on the line with Jim Hopper.

Meanwhile, El moves past the Hendersons and continues down the street. She reaches a car parked in a driveway and viciously stabs one of the tires, puncturing it. The tire deflates. El walks on, continuing her rampage.

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE WHEELERS’ HOUSE.

Holly squirms on the couch while Karen applies some astringent to the small cut on her face. Ted looks on. Mike can’t stop pacing in the foreground, clearly worried.

                                                 KAREN

                        All that blood, sweetie, and it's just a little

                        cut.

                                                HOLLY

                        Ouch! That stings!

Holly continues to fuss as Karen swats her hand out of the way.

                                                KAREN

                        Now, Holly hold still. Just in case of infection –

                                                HOLLY

                                    (whining)

_Mom_ , I’m fine!

                                                MIKE

                        I can’t believe she just took off like that!

                        Dad, did you see where El went?

                                                TED

                        I don't know. She just walked down the

                        street.

                                                MIKE

                        Well, we have to go look for her!

                                                KAREN

                        Oh Mike, your father will find her, won’t you, dear?

                                                TED

                        Yeah, it’s fine. Stay in the house. I'll take care of it.

Ted leaves the house. Just moments later, the doorbell chimes. Mike looks to Karen – Ted couldn’t have found El that fast, could he? Karen opens the door.    

                                                HOPPER

                        Hi Karen. I'm here to see the girl with the scissors.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh... she’s…umm...

                                                HOPPER

                                                (turns to go)

                        Right. She's not here. Thank you.

Hopper nods grimly and leaves, his squad car heading off down the street in search of El. Karen closes the door and goes to sit by Mike, who has finally stopped pacing, and is just slumped on the couch, faraway in his worries.

                                                KAREN

                        Oh, dear. Well… I'm sure your father will find her soon.

                                                MIKE

                        What time is it?

                                                KAREN

                        It's almost eight thirty. Great party, huh?

                                                MIKE

                        Where could she be? God…I hope she's okay.

                                                KAREN

                        So do I, honey.

                                    (beat)

                        You know, when I brought El  down here to live with us,

                        I really didn't think things through. And I didn't think

                        about what could happen to her, or to us, or to the

                        neighborhood. You know….I think that maybe it

                        might be best if she goes back up there. Because

                        at least there she's safe, and we'd just go back

                        to normal.

Mike listens, dismayed and unsettled. He doesn’t reply. After awhile, he gets up, grabbing his coat.

                                                MIKE

                        I-I have to go help find her. Before Hopper does.

And with that, Mike walks out the Wheelers’ front door.

STREET CORNER. NIGHT.

Tired and alone, El sits despondingly on the sidewalk. She doesn’t know what to do, or where to go.

                                                VOICE

                        Hey!

Startled, El glances up at the figure approaching her. It’s Troy. He stumbles towards her, malevolent and drunk.

                                                TROY

                        Finally get to have some alone time with you, huh?

Slowly, El rises to her feet. She backs up a few steps.

                                                EL

                        Troy? Leave me alone.

                                                TROY

                        You bitch. You think you’re too good for me, huh?

                        You’re not even a real person!

Troy lunges for her. He grabs El’s arm and starts to drag her off.

                                                EL

                        Let go! Get off me!

                                                TROY

                        You’re gonna pay for what you did to me at school!

                        I’m a laughing stock – when YOU should be!!

                        You fucking freak of nature!

El struggles but can’t get Troy off of her. He’s almost frenzied, emboldened by alcohol and his own rage.

Just then, MIKE appears, rounding the street corner. He stops dead in his tracks when he notices the violent encounter.

                                                MIKE

                        Hey! Leave her alone!  

Mike starts to make his way over to them, but El and Troy hardly notice. Desperate, El yanks herself free – slashing Troy as she does.

Howling with pain and fury, Troy jumps back, clutching his bleeding arm. Mike rushes forward to El. Another crowd of alarmed neighbors starts to gather around them.

                                                MIKE

                        El, are you okay –

                                                NEIGHBOR 4

                        There she is!! She was just at the Wheelers, mauling their

                        little girl!

                                                NEIGHBOR 5

                        She’s on a rampage!!

Suddenly, the sound of police sirens drown out everyone. Hopper’s squad car screeches onto the street and joins the growing crowd.

                                                CLAUDIA HENDERSON

                        Oh thank God you’re here!

                                                TROY

                        She tried to kill me, Chief! She slashed my arm!

                        I’m bleeding!!

                                                MRS. MAYFIELD

                        She’s over there! Catch her! Please!

                                                TROY

                        KILLER!! MONSTER!!!

The crowd, emboldened by the events of the night, by their growing numbers, by Troy’s egging and by the presence of Hopper, surge forward angrily towards El and Mike.

El freezes. Her eyes lock with Mike’s.

                                                MIKE

                        Run.

El takes off; this time, the crowd follows after. Hopper takes off in the squad car too, soon overtaking and passing the crowd. KAREN and TED have joined in the commotion, alarmed.

                                                KAREN

                        Holly's all right! It was just the tiniest

                        scratch! El's gone! Let's not bother her, all

                        right? Let just leave her alone!

But to no avail. The crowd is out for blood.

El streaks across a yard and out of sight, heading towards the MANSION, Hop and the neighborhood on her heels.

Helpless, Mike stares after her.

                                                TED

                                    (tries to console)

                        We did the best we could for her, Michael.

Mike scowls, turning on Ted angrily. But before he can say anything – everyone jumps at the sound of two GUN SHOTS.

Further down the street, the crowd stops dead. It is suddenly SILENT.

THE GLOOMY MANSION. OUTSIDE.

Hopper stands just inside the gate. He fires a third shot – this one, like the others, into the air, letting El go.

                                                HOPPER

                                    (under his breath)

                        Go on, get out of here.

He reholsters his gun, then walks back out the gate. The bloodthirsty crowd is stopped just outside.

                                                NEIGHBORS

                        What happened? Did you get her? Is she dead?

                                                HOPPER

                        It's all over. Go on home. There's nothing more

                        to see.

                                                NEIGHBORS

                        We want some answers! Where is she?

Hop ignores them, climbing back into his car and driving away.

                                                MRS. SINCLAIR

                        Get back here! We have a right to know!

                                                MRS. HAYES

                        I don't believe it. They don't have her! Well…I’m

                        not going to let her hurt anyone else’s children! I'm

                        going!

Mrs. Hayes sets off inside, past the mansion gates. The crowd follows.

THE MANSION. OUTSIDE. LATER.

Afraid to go inside, but determined, Mike hesitates at the dilapidated gate. It groans as he forces it open. He slips in and hurries through.

THE MANSION. INSIDE. LATER.

El stands in darkness, looking down on the dilapidated, neglected garden below. She waits for the crowd to come, resigned to her fate.

Suddenly, she hears footsteps coming up the stairs. And then a voice.

                                                VOICE

                        El.

El whirls around.

                                                EL

                        Mike –

But it’s not Mike. It’s Troy, wounded and enraged. His injury seems to have only caused him to grow more unhinged.  He holds a large knife in his hand.

                                                TROY

                        I thought I’d even up the odds a little bit.

He stalks towards her. El backs up, but she can’t go any further or she’d fall out the open wall-length windows.

                                                TROY

                        I told you you would pay! I’m gonna carve you

                        into your original scrap metal parts –

                                                MIKE

                        EL!

Mike appears in the doorway. Instinctively protective, he rushes Troy, knocking him off his feet. The knife pops from Troy’s hands and clatters into the hall. The commotion causes the decaying mansion’s frames to groan and creek. A piece of the ceiling gives and breaks.

El tries to get out of the way, but a heavy wooden beam crashes onto her as it falls to the ground.

Troy takes the opportunity to kick Mike off of him. His foot lands right in Mike’s face, knocking him flat on his back, stunned.

Troy turns his attention back to El. He grabs a wooden plank in the debris and begins beating her with it, over and over again.

Mike, dazed, struggles to get back on his feet. He grabs a loose beam and bashes Troy over the head. Troy collapses. Before he can make another move, Mike is on him – holding one of El’s blades against his throat.

                                                MIKE

                        Stop. Or I’ll kill you myself.

The next instant, Troy explodes.

                                                TROY

                        BULLLSHIT!

El falls aside as Troy kicks Mike square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and sending him flying back.

El gets to her feet, ignoring the enraged Troy and heading straight to Mike.

                                                TROY

                        Hey! I’m not done with you, bitch!!

Howling, Troy lunges -- recklessly.

El whips around to face him. A look of cold fury in her eyes. She moves forward, and Troy goes from enraged to confused – as blood begins to spurt from his mouth. He looks down at his stomach – where El has impaled her blades in him.

El pushes him backwards, away from Mike and towards the big, glass-less windows that lead to the garden below. She finally retracts her blade from Troy, his body falling backwards through the window. He plunges, two long stories to the ground. He lands on his back. Sprawled. Motionless. Dead.

Mike and El look down at him. El is shaking. So is Mike.

                                                MIKE   

                        Are you okay?  

                                                EL

                        Yes, are you okay?

Mike nods. In the distance, the sounds of the crowd can be heard faintly, but growing.

                                                EL

                        They are coming? Did I hurt Holly?

                                                MIKE

                        No, she's okay. She was just scared.

                        God El, I was so afraid. I thought you were

                        dead.

Outside, the sounds of the crowd grow louder. Mike and El look out the window. They are just outside the mansion now.

                                                EL

                        Goodbye, Mike.

Mike and El look deeply into one another’s eyes. Mike nods – knowing she’s right. This has to be the end.

He leans in, kissing her sweetly on the lips, trying to keep from crying.

                                                MIKE

                        I love you.

And with that, Mike leaves.

Rushing down the stairs, Mike looks around and sees – a rack of metal body parts. He carefully lifts one of the spare scissor hands off its stand.

THE MANSION. OUTSIDE.

The angry neighbors swarm outside. They stop when they see Troy’s lifeless and bloodied body in the dirt.

Mike marches grimly out of the house, carrying the scissor hand.

                                                MRS. HAYES

                        Is she in there?

                                                MIKE

                        She's dead. The roof caved in on her.

Mike gestures to Troy.

                                                 MIKE

                         They  killed each other. You can see for

                         yourselves.

He raises the scissor hands high in the air.

With that, the crowd seems to deflate. Some people are already turning away.

                                                JOYCE BYERS

                        I’m going home.

Little by little, and then in increasing numbers, the crowd turns around and disperses. Mike watches them go.

LITTLE GIRL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT.

The old man’s voice fades in.  

                                                OLD MIKE

                        He never saw her again. Not after that night.

                                                GRANDDAUGHTER

                        How do you know?

                                                OLD MIKE

                        Because I was there.

                                                GRANDDAUGHTER

                        You could have gone up there. You still could

                        go.

CUT TO EL’S GARDEN.

Lush with roses and exotic flowers, and once again full of sculptures and life.

                                                OLD MIKE

                        No, sweetheart. I'm an old man now. I would

                        rather she remember me the way I was.

                                                GRANDDAUGHTER

                        How do you know she's still alive?

                                                OLD MIKE

                        I don't know. Not for sure. But I believe she is.

                        You see, before she came down here, it never

                        snowed. And now, it does.  

Mike gazes out the window. It is snowing even more heavily than before. He opens the window and puts out his hand. He catches a palm full of shimmering snowflakes.

We move out the window, beyond the neighborhood, and up to the mansion on the mountain. Out of the top floor windows pours a stream of tiny snowflakes. We follow the swirling snow into a HUGE room – full of beautiful sparking ice sculptures – cars, chairs, couches, the familiar objects of suburban life.

Scissor hands, quickly and deftly, chip away at a block of ice. El shapes it into a figure of a young man. We recognize that it is Mike as he looked when she knew him. Shining brilliantly, the snowflakes fly off her blades.

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't ask me how Mike beat the angry mob to El after arriving to the gate after them. It was the same in the movie so idk. Time is a construct?

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this and want more, please give kudos and/or comments. I desperately need the attention.


End file.
